Customs project continues to escalate

The continued delays and the cost blowout of Customs Joint Border Management System are costing the taxpayer tens of millions of dollars says Labour's Customs Spokesperson Rino Tirikatene.

“Customs today said that the troubled project is now four years overdue, and is tens of millions of dollars over budget. Despite the Customs Service attempted fudging of the details, this project is quickly becoming a white elephant of Novopay proportions.

“The delays and debacle are so bad that the old import-export system continues to be used in many circumstances. This week Treasury labelled the Customs project 'high risk' and potentially 'unachievable' while behind the scenes MPI is suggesting the new system may not be needed after all with more than millions already spent.

“This is yet another in a long list of cost blowouts that the government has bungled. It's time to stop passing the buck and for the government to take responsibility for mismanaging taxpayers money,” says Rino Tirikatene.